Motion transmitting means



Jan. 2, 1951 H. s. GLEASON MOTION TRANSMITTING MEANS Filed Nov. 14, 1949a 2am I N V EN TOR. Howard/5f Gleasorz i 'atented Jan. 2, 1951 MOTIONTRANSMITTIN G MEANS Howard S. Gleason, Rochester, N. Y., assignor toStromberg-Carlson Company, a corporation of New York 3 Claims.

This invention relates to anti-friction motion transmitting means, moreparticularly to speed changing mechanism employing anti-friction drivingelements, which mechanism is adjustable selectively to provide either apredetermined speed change ora direct one-to-one ratio drive, and theinvention has for an object the provision of improved motiontransmitting means of this character.

, Various types of apparatus are in use today wherein it is necessary,or at least highly desirable, to employ speed reducing or speed changingmechanism which is capable of effecting the desired speed change withoutintroducing objectionable vibration or flutter into the system, and ithas been found that gear type reducers, even though of the finestprecision construction, are not entirely satisfactory from thisstandpoint. Furthermore, it is desirable in many types of apparatus tobe able to change speeds easily and smoothly, and accordingly it is afurther object of this invention to provide a smoothly operating,positive acting, motion transmitting or speed changing unit whichemploys no gears, which is compact and economical to construct, andwhich may be readily adjusted to change speeds.

In carrying out the invention in one form, an anti-friction motiontransmitting unit is provided comprising driving and driven shaftshaving an inner race mounted on one of the shafts, an outer racesurrounding the inner race, and a plurality of anti-friction elementsdisposed between the inner and outer races, together with a.retainermember mounted on the other one of the shafts and including spacedfingers extending axially between the races for engaging theanti-friction elements in driving relation, thrust means being providedfor exerting sufficient pressure between the races and the antifrictionelements to prevent slippage of the antifriction elements relative tothe races. In the form of the invention wherein speed changing means areprovided, an adjustable control member is arranged for movement betweentwo positions and provided with means eifective in one of the positionsfor locking the outer race against rotation, and clutch means areprovided connected in driving relation to the shaft carrying the innerrace and adapted to be moved by the control member into engagement withthe Application November 14, 1949, Serial No. 127,133

retainer fingers so that movement of the control I shafts while at thesame time releasing the outer race for free rotation.

For a more complete understanding of the invention reference should nowbe had to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a motion transmitting unit embodying theinvention, as applied to vertically extending driving and driven shafts;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along theline 22 of Fig. 1, with the unit adjusted to provide a speed reductionbetween the driving and driven shafts; Fig. 3 is a sectional elevationalview similar to Fig. 2 but with certain of the parts shown in elevation,showing the unit adjusted for a direct one-to-one ratio drive betweenthe shafts,

Fig. 4 is a detailed perspective view showing the retainer elementembodied in the unit of Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the retainer member shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6is a detailed sectional view taken sub-.- stantially along the line 6--Bof Fig. and

Fig. '7 is an elevational sectional view similar to Fig. 2 but showing asimplified embodiment of the invention wherein the ratio adjusting meanis omitted.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawing, the invention is shownas embodied in a motion transmitting unit comprising a housing I0 havingside walls II, a bottom wall I2, and a top wall l3, which define aninternal sub-: stantially cylindrical chamber I4 within which the motiontransmitting mechanism is housed. While the housing ID has been shown inFig. 1 as being substantiallyhexagonal in cross sec--. tion, it will, ofcourse, be understood that the housing may be of any desired shape andthat the chamber I4 therewithin may also be shaped as desired.

Supported by the top wall I3 in a suitable aperturetherethrough is ananti-friction bearing comprising an outer race I5 which is secured inthe top wall I3, preferably by a force ,fit, a plurality ofanti-friction elements or ball bearing I6 and an inner race H, the innerrace of the bearing being suitably secured to a shaft I8, which mayconstitute the driving shaft of the unit. Similarly supported in thebottom wall I2 of the housing is an anti-friction bearing comprising anouter race I 9, a plurality of anti-friction elements or ball bearings20, andan inner race 2|, the inner race being suitably secured, as, forexample, by a force fit, to a shaft 22 which may constitute the drivenshaft of the unit and which, as shown, is disposed in aligned end-to-endrelation with respect to the driving shaft [8, the shafts beingrespectively provided with conical notches 23 and 24 in the respectiveends thereof for receiving a thrust bearing 25, which is shown asconstituting a ball hearing.

In order to effect driving of the shaft 22 from the shaft I8 at apredetermined reduced speed, the driving shaft I8 is provided, as shown,with an inner race 26 suitably secured thereto, which inner race isadapted to be engaged by a plurality of anti-friction element .or ballbearings {21, which in turn engage an outer race 28 which surrounds theinner race 26 and the ball bearings 21. Secured to the outer race 281is:an annular peripheral flange 29 which is provided at opposite sideswith suitable notches so for receiving a pair of positioning pins 3|carried by a control member or collar 32. As shown, a suitable thrustspring 33 is provided, the lower end of which bears against the bottomwall I2 of the housing I and the upper end of which bears against thelower edge of the control member or collar 32 so as to exert through thepositioning pins 3| and the annular flange 28-an upward thrust on theouter race 28 of sufficient magnitude to insure that a sufiicientlylarge pressure is exerted between the races 2'6 and 28 and the ballbearings 2'! to prevent slippage of the ball bearings 2'! relative tothe races under loads of the magnitude for which the unit is designed.

Secured to the upperendof the driven shaft 22 is a:cup-shaped ballretainer member 34 having a plurality of upwardly extending spacedfingers '35 which extend axially between and beyond the races '26 and 28so as to engagethe ball bearings 21 in driving relationship.

As will b apparent to those skilled in the art, rotation 0f the drivingshaft [8, with the unit arranged as thus far described, -w-il1 eiT-ectplanetary movement of the "ball bearings '21 about the inner "race '26so as to drive theshaft '22 through the retainer, member 34 at a-reducedspeed. Due to t-heentire absence-of gears and to the action of thethrust spring-'33 iii-preventing slippage of the ball bearings 27, asmooth and positive drive will be :obtained at the reduced speeddetermined by .the :relative dimensions of the races and 28 and the ballbearings 21.

"Inorder to adjust th unit for driving of the Shaft223ftd3.10116430-011612-tl0"With respect to the driving shaft it, the unitis provided, as :shown in :Figilawitha clutch plate 36 which'is'mounted1;

extend outwardly from the. collar 32 -through suitable-slots 35E!:formedin the sidewalls H of the housing 1-H}. By pressing the pins 39-downwardly 'from t-he position shown in Fig. 21to the position shown tin'FF'ig. :3, the clutch plate .136 may bebroug'ht into driving engagementwith the extendingiendsofr-thafingerst 3 510171 the retainer member 34and at the same time the locking pins 3! carried by the collar 32 willbe moved out of the slots in the flange 29 on the outer race 26 so as torelease the outer race for free rotation. With the unit in this adjustedposition, rotation of the shaft I8 is effective to drive the shaft 22directly through the clutch plate 36 and the retainer member 34 so as toprovide a one -to-pne driving relation, and it will be observed that thechange from the speed reducing operation of Fig. 2 to the direct driverelation of Fig. 3 may be accomplished smoothly without clashing ormeshing of gears and without the necessity of delicate or complicatedadjustments.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 7 in which no means isprovided for adjusting the relative speed between the driving and drivenshafts, a suitable substantially cylindrical housing 41 is providedwhich is formed adjacent its lower end with a suitable recess 42 forreceiving the outer race 23 of a ball bearing structure, which likewiseincludes a plurality of anti-friction elements or ball bearings 44 andan inner race 45, which inner race is frictionally mounted on a shaft4'6 which may be considered the drivenshaft of the unit. Likewise thehousing 41 is provided adjacent its upper end with a recess 41 forreceiving the outer race '48 of a ball bearing structure, which likewiseincludes a plurality of-ball bear- Z ng-5 39' and an-inner race 50, -theinner race'50 being secured to a shafti l which may be considered thedriving shaft. The opposed bearing structures may be secured in thehousing ll in any suitable manner, as,'for.example,'by top'an'd bottomcover plates 52 and 53 secured to the housing by suitable screws :54.

In thisembodiment of the invention, the shaft '66 is provided with-acupshaped=retainer member .55 of substantially the constructionillustratedin connectionwith the previously disclosed embodiment, whichretainer member includes spaced apart fingers '56 adapted to extend 'between the'inner and outer racess5-D-and'48 so as drivingly to engage theball bearings 49. The

shaftsi ljfi and w5| in this embodiment of .the in.-

.vention are likewise provided with suitable conical notches in the endthereof for receiving .an and thrust bearing '15}, and a thrust spring58 is provided hayingone end adapted .to engage the 11311612120945 .andthe ,upper end .adapted .to .engage the retainer member ;.55 so as ..toexert through-the .ball bearings gllfla suificientpressure between theinner and outer races '50 and ...48 to prevent slippage of the ballbearings relative thereto. The operation :of theembodiment describedinFigq'? 2115 similar ;.to the .speedireducing ope ation of "thepreviously .described embodiment in that ;rota,tion of the shaft :5 lfor example, is effective byareason of thepla-netary movement of -the.ball bearings 49 to drives-the shaft 46 .at areducedfipeed-through theretainer memberz55, the speed zr il ction ein dependen upon-the e tivedimensions of ainnfi nn .Ql races 5 i]. andrlid and. theball bearings49.

While particular sembodiments of the invention have been shown, it :willbe v .understood,.of course, that the inventionis not limitedtheretosince many vmodil catio.n may be .ma a dfl is therefore contemplatedbythaappendedplaims to cover any such modificationsas'fall within thetrue spirit and scopeof the invention.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. Anti-friction motion transmitting -mea-ns comprising driving anddri-ven-shaftsdisposed-in coaxial end-to-end relation, an inner racemounted on said driving shaft, an outer race surrounding said innerrace, a control member movable between a first position and a secondposition and including means engageable in said firstposition with saidouter race to lock said outer race against rotation, a plurality ofand-friction elements disposed between said races, a-retainer member onsaid driven shaft including spaced fingers extending axially betweenand, beyond said races for engaging said anti-friction elements wherebysaid driven shaft is rotated at a reduced speed upon rota'ion of saiddriving shaft, clutch means connected in driving relation to saiddriving shaft and in spaced relation to the extending ends of saidretainer fingers, and means connecting said clutch means to said controlmeans for operating said clutch means into direct driving relation wi'hsaid retainer by movement of said control member to said second positionto release said outer race for rotation.

2. Anti-friction motion transmitting means comprising driving and drivenshafts disposed in coaxial end-to-end relation, inner race mounted onsaid driving shaft, an outer race surrounding said inner race, a controlmember movable between a first position and a second position andincluding means engageable in said first position with said outer raceto lock saidouter race against rotation, a plurality of anti-frictionelements disposed between said races, a retainer member on said drivenshaft including spaced fingers extending axially between and beyond saidraces for engaging said anti-friction elements whereby said driven shaftis rotated at a reduced speed upon rotation of said driving shaft, aclutch plate mounted on said driving shaft in slidable but non-rotatablerelation thereto, and means connecting said clutch plate to said controlmember for movement into clutching engagement with the extending ends ofsaid retainer fingers upon movement of said control member to saidsecond position, said controlmember in said second position effectingrelease of said outer race for free rotation.

3. Anti-friction motion transmitting means comprising driving and drivenshafts disposed in coaxial end-to-end relation, an inner race mounted onsaid driving shaft, an outer race surrounding said inner race, a controlmember movable between a first osition and a second position andincluding means engageable in said first position with said outer raceto lock said outer race against rotation, a plurality of an .i-frictionelements disposed between said races, resilient means urging saidcontrol member toward said first position and efiective through saidrace engageable means to exert sufiicient pressure between said racesand elements to preven'; slippage therebetween, a retainer member onsaid driven shaft including spaced fingers extending axially between andbeyond said races for engaging said anti-friction elements whereby saiddriven shaft is rotated at a reduced speed upon rotation of said drivingshaft, a clutch member mounted on said driving shaft in axially movablebut nonrotatabFe relation thereto, and means connecting said clutchmember to said control member for movement into clutching engagementwith the extending end of said re'ainer fingers when said control memberis moved toward said second position against the force of said resilientmeans, said control member in said second position effectingdisengagement of said outer race for free rotation during direct drivingof said driven shaft through said clutch member.

HOWARD S. GLEASON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,201,367 Shelton Oct. 1'7, 19161,995,171 De Tar Mar. 19, 1935 2,188,087 Proctor Jan. 23, 1940 2,398,729Robinson Apr. 16, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 391,298France Aug. 26, 1908

